Product category:
Power Supply ICs and Controllers
News Release from: Allegro MicroSystems Europe | Subject: A3935, A3940, and 3930/31
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 09 August 2006
MOSFET predrivers meet automotive
demands
A range of automotive-grade MOSFET predriver ICs is designed for for in-vehicle motor control applications.
A range of automotive-grade MOSFET predriver ICs for in-vehicle motor control applications is now available from Allegro MicroSystems Europe The new device family, which will operate over a junction temperature range from -40 to +150C, are designed for use in applications including wipers, blowers, water pumps, cooling systems, starter, electronic braking, steering, transmission and closure systems
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 30 Aug 2000 at 8.00am (UK)
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The range includes four devices: the A3935 three-phase power MOSFET controller; the A3940 full-bridge power MOSFET controller; the A3946 half-bridge power MOSFET controller; and the 3930/31 three-phase brushless DC controller and MOSFET driver.
The A3935 is designed specifically for automotive applications that require high-power motors.
Each device provides six high-current gate drive outputs capable of driving a wide range of N-channel power MOSFETs.
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The A3935 integrates a pulse-frequency modulated boost convertor to create a constant supply voltage for driving the external MOSFETs.
Direct control of each gate output is possible via six TTL-compatible inputs.
A differential amplifier is integrated to allow accurate measurement of the current in the three-phase bridge.
The A3940 is also designed for applications that require high-power motors.
Each device provides four high-current gate drive outputs capable of driving N-channel power MOSFETs in a full-bridge configuration.
Bootstrap capacitors are used to provide the above battery supply voltage required for N-channel FETs.
An internal charge pump for the high side allows for DC (100% duty cycle) operation of the bridge.
Protection features include supply under/overvoltage, thermal shutdown, and motor lead short-to-battery and short-to-ground fault notification, plus a programmable dead-time adjustment for cross-conduction prevention.
The A3946 is designed for applications that require high power unidirectional DC motors, three-phase brushless DC motors, or other inductive loads.
It provides two high-current gate drive outputs: a high-side gate driver which switches an N-channel MOSFET to control current to the load, and a low-side gate driver that switches an N-channel MOSFET as a synchronous rectifier.
A bootstrap capacitor provides the above-battery supply voltage required for N-channel MOSFETs.
An internal charge pump for the high side allows for DC (100% duty cycle) operation of the half-bridge.
The A3930/31 is a three-phase brushless DC motor controller for use with N-channel external power MOSFETs, and incorporates much of the circuitry required to design a cost-effective three-phase motor drive system, including integrated commutation logic based on Hall sensor inputs.
A charge pump regulator provides adequate gate drive for battery voltages down to 7V, and allows the device to operate with a reduced gate drive at battery voltages down to 5.5V.
Power dissipation in the charge pump is minimised by switching from a voltage doubling mode at low supply voltage to a dropout mode at the nominal running voltage of 14V.
The device features extensive diagnostic features and uses internal fixed-frequency PWM current control circuitry to regulate the maximum load current.
Packages include SSOP, TSSOP, SOIC and the ultracompact LQPF-48.
All are available in lead (Pb) free versions.
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